Hoda Kotb Back as ‘Today’ Co-Anchor While Savannah Guthrie Mom Missing

Hoda Kotb joined “Today” again on Monday morning as Savannah Guthrie‘s mother remains missing.

Kotb, who co-anchored “Today” with Guthrie from 2018 to 2025, briefly appeared on the show on Friday to present a segment on the outpouring of support for Nancy Guthrie, who hasn’t been seen since last Saturday. However, on Monday she opened the show as a co-anchor alongside Craig Melvin, replacing Sheinelle Jones who filled in for Savannah Guthrie last week.

“Hoda is joining us while Savannah remains with her family in Arizona,” Melvin said as the show began. “We’re grateful to have you here.”

“You know what, Craig, we always talk about our show is a family. We are a family,” Kotb replied. “I’m part of the family, and I’m happy to be with you because we show up for each other.”

Melvin and Kotb then talked through the latest updates in the search for Nancy, including further investigations of the 84-year-old’s property and her daughter Annie’s house. Savannah and her siblings also posted another video message to their mother’s potential captors on Saturday, saying that they are willing to pay for her return.

“We received your message, and we understand,” Guthrie said in the video. “We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her. This is the only way we will have peace. This is very valuable to us, and we will pay.”

NBC correspondent Tom Winter then joined Melvin and Kotb to break down the significance of the video, pointing out that there was no mention of the Monday deadline that was included in one of the unsubstantiated ransom notes, nor did they ask for proof of life.

“So when you look at this video, you say, what was in that second note?” Winter said. “I have not personally seen it, but it does appear that there’s been a shift here, at least a shift in messaging, so we note that.”

Melvin, Kotb, Carson Daly and Al Roker also took time during the show to address the unusual nature of having to report on their co-worker and friend’s missing mother.

“Our ‘Today’ family continues to navigate uncharted territory, balancing the updates on the search for Savannah’s mom with all the other stories of the day, like we normally do,” Melvin said. “But we know things are far from normal right now, so folks we are asking for your grace as we continue to do this.”

Kotb added: “I mean, paramount through all of this, Savannah and her family are our top priority. In addition to that, there is also a job to do.”

“And we’re going to do our best,” Daly said. “It’s certainly not easy to do our jobs, and we’re doing that obviously for her and for you too, the viewers.”